A SECOND planning application will be submitted for a new enterprise park in Ross-on-Wye as the previous approval is nearing its expiry date.

Herefordshire Council received outline planning approval for the Model Farm Enterprise Park in December 2013.

The plans were for 29,400sqm of employment floorspace and full details of the access, internal road infrastructure and circulation routes.

But as the application will lapse on December 9 this year, the council's economy, communities and corporate officer has decided to commission a second application, along with feasibility work to identify the best use of the council’s assets east of Ross, at a cost of no more than £120,000.

The new application will aim to make sure the transport network capacity for the development is retained and a valid permission remains in place.

Through the feasibility work, the council will identify the constraints and opportunities affecting its land holdings east of Ross.

The decision notice said: "Since the date of the application, the council has been developing a business case to enable the build of site infrastructure on the Model Farm Enterprise Park.

"Principally, this has involved submitting business cases to the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) for funding to bridge the gap between the cost of site infrastructure and the receipts from sale of the land.

"Due to high levels of competition, funding has not been achieved to date. To build out the site, the council is evaluating other potential delivery mechanisms, including investigating the use of the council’s assets within the area to create a mixed scheme."

As the Model Farm sits within a larger council land holding to the east of Ross, to support the delivery of employment land, the council is looking to explore

what other development is possible in the area.

Future implementation of the employment permission is modelled to generate more than 450 new jobs.

The project is also part of the council’s Economic Vision.

The project will cost £80,000 in phase one. This will include the planning application fee (approximately £35,000), consultant’s fee for planning and feasibility (approximately £45,000). The second stage masterplanning will cost £40,000 and will be subject to a separate procurement.

Where appropriate, the expenditure will be funded from the Development and Regeneration Programme Capital Budget.